Below is a table I have prepared, comparing each state in terms of GDP per capita, the percentage of Mexico`s total poor living in each state, and its HDI—Human Development Index— a scale used by the United Nations which compares countries and states based upon life expectancy, education levels and standard of living.

As you can see, Mexico`s Border States have a higher standard of living than most other Mexican states. In contrast, here is the same information for the principal emigrant-expelling states:

PRINCIPAL EMIGRANT-EXPELLING STATES (In Central Mexico)

State

HDI Rating

HDI

GDP per Capita (in dollars)

Percentage of Mexico`s Poor

Jalisco

#13

0.8007

$8,716

5.6 %

Mexico State

#18

0.7778

$6,376

4.0 %

Guanajuato

#22

0.7662

$6,797

5.1 %

Veracruz

#28

0.7457

$5,391

8.5 %

Michoacan

#29

0.7422

$5,095

4.3 %

Just looking at these two tables, you can see there is a significant difference between Mexico`s Border States and its principal "emigrant-expelling" states, although the latter are not Mexico`s poorest states either.

If you want to skip all the statistics, just click here to see this map of Mexico which makes it quite clear.

Northern Mexicans perceive Mexicans from farther south as being different. Consider this recent incident from the border state of Chihuahua.

In that state, Mexican Indians from the south of the country come to work in the fields. (Doing work Chihuahuans won`t do?) Recently, it was suggested that hostels be constructed for these laborers. But a certain Adrian Jose Serrano, government functionary of the Agricultural workers program, told campesino activists that it wasn`t worth it because, "they [the laborers from southern Mexico] are dirty, they don`t bathe or clean their rooms", and that "these workers have another culture, they are people who come from the south of the country".[Los jornaleros agrícolas "son sucios y no se bañan", dice burócrata de Sedeso, By Matilde Pérez U, La Jornada, October 26, 2007]

Another Chihuahua official, of the State Human Rights Commission, Roberto Dominguez, said that the workers are "a social problem for the state" and defended the failure of Chihuahua ranchers to pay them social security.

There are also – ahem – racial differences between northern Mexicans and their fellow citizens from farther south. Generally speaking, northerners are whiter. (When the Spaniards arrived, what is now northern Mexico was sparsely populated).

When a northern Mexican travels in southern Mexico as a tourist, he may be called a "Spaniard" or even a "Gringo" – that`s a rich irony!

So this is what`s happening: Mexicans from all over the country, especially from the principal "emigrant-expelling" states, go to northern Mexico and cross the border into the U.S.

However, when they get deported, or if they fail to cross, they often stay in the border town on the Mexican side.

The populations of Mexican border cities such as Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez and Nuevo Laredo have swollen with people from other parts of Mexico (and other countries) who often decide to stay rather than go back home. And, these cities also attract some law-breaking Americans on the lam from U.S. territory.

Not only do the Mexican Border States wind up with so many frustrated border crossers and deportees, their more dynamic economies and higher salaries attract internal migrants from other parts of Mexico. All six of these Border States now have significant proportions of their populations who were born elsewhere: Coahuila 14.3%, Chihuahua 18.6%, Sonora 16.8%, Tamaulipas 26%, Nuevo Leon 22.1% and a whopping 43.6% of the Baja California population. (Source:El Almanaque Mexicano 2008).

Answer: They would go where deportees are already going—the Mexican Border States. When the border is tightened, the Mexican Border States feel the pressure first.

Needless to say, you would hear plenty of bellyaching about U.S. "xenophobia" and "racism." But if the U.S. stands firm, Mexican border state residents and leaders would be forced to turn their gaze on their own federal government. They would ask the Mexican government why it was permitting their region to be used as the human dumping ground of the North American continent. And they would start putting pressure for change where it belongs – on the Mexican government.

If they banded together, Mexican border states could form a formidable coalition. The region accounts for about a quarter of Mexico`s GDP. It is the home of some of Mexico`s largest metropolitan areas: Monterrey, Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Torreon, Mexicali, Tampico and Chihuahua. The region`s states and cities are led by savvy political leaders who know how the Mexican government operates. Such a regional coalition could put a lot of pressure on Mexico City.

In fact, the aforementioned Sonora situation afforded a small hint of the direction things could go. Sure, Sonora`s officials carried out the requisite Gringo bashing and bellyaching over the Arizona law. But they are also making plans to deal with the influx of deportees in ways that don`t involve the United States.

American citizen Allan Wall (emailhim) resides in Mexico, with a legal permit issued him by the Mexican government. Allan recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq with the Texas Army National Guard. His VDARE.COM articles are archived here; his FRONTPAGEMAG.COM articles are archived herehis "Dispatches from Iraq" are archived herehis website is here.